Method of and apparatus for stripping weaving-strips from ratan canes.



No. 882,978. PATENTED MAR 24, 1908.

H. W. TEMPS. METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR STRIPPING WEAVING STRIPS FROM RATAN GANES.

APPLICATION nun KAY 25, 1906.

2 SHEETS-4X23! 1.

INVENTEIR Q will! I 1 \A/ITN ESSES No. 882,978; PATENTED MAR. 24; 1908 H. w. TEMPS.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR STRIPPING WBAVIN G STRIPS FROM RATAN GANES.

APYLIOATIOH FILED KAY 26, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITIVQESSES' IAN/Elvin ATTORNEYS v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HEINRICH WILHELM TEMPS, OF HARBURG-ON-THE-ELBE, GERMANY.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR STRIPPING WEAVING-STRIPS FROM RATAN CANES.

v To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HEINRIQH WILHELM TEMPS, 'a citizen of the Empire of Germany, residing in Harburg-on-the-Elbe, in said Empire of Germany, have invented a certain new and useful Method of and Apparatus for Stripping Weaving-Strips from Ratan Canes, of which the following is a specification.

In stripping off the weaving strips from ratan canes for cane chairs and similar pur poses, care has to be taken that the weaving strips and the remaining core are free from cracks. When the cane is cut into strips by driving a chisel-shaped cutter through it longitudinally splits are formed in the strip in advance ofthe cutting edge of the cutter unless special precautions are taken. Thus the cane is liable to be separated and cracked by the wedge action of the cutter rather than out by the cutting edge.

The method of operating usually employed for overcoming the above-mentioned difficulty consists in effecting the stripping off of the weaving strips by means of two consecutive operations, viz., the so called slitting and planing. In the first instance the required number of Weaving strips is slit by means of a star-shaped cutter and the strips are made of such thickness that the unsound layer thereon is in excess of What is required. The core is then obtained as a cylindrical rod, while the weaving strips thus split off are placed so as to remove the layer of core adhering thereto. These separated unsound core strips constitute a material of very little value which is used for Weaving cheap mats and for similar purposes. It has also been attempted to prevent the splitting of the weaving strips by guiding the cane rodconsecutively over two rollers or pulleys and applying cutters to the rod at the points where the two curvatures are started. In this manner the cane has to bend at the cutting point, while the strip is conducted away from the cutting'point in substantially a straight line. By this means a thoroughly sound weaving strip is obtained at one operation, the unsound parts being all contained in the core; but the great objection to this method of operation is that it allows of no more than two strips being cut in passing over each roller, so that at the most only four strips can be cut at one passage of the cane through the machine. Also, when it is attempted to pass the cane twice through a machine of this character, the former generally breaks.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 25, 1906.

Patented March 24, 1908.-

Serial No. 318,667.

The object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus by which not only weaving strips may be stripped off all around the cane in a single operation, but which also produce strips ready for immediate use, such strips being free of any unsound layer and of cracks or slits.

With this end in view the invention con sists in the method of and apparatus to be hereinafter described and finally set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 illustrates the present method of cutting weaving strips, the splitting action being eX- aggerated, Fig. 2 shows the resulting strip, Fig. 3 shows the method of slitting the cane preparatory to splitting ofi" the weaving strips, Fig. 4 is a vertical section of a device for splitting off weaving strips according to this invention, said section being taken on line 4, 4, Fig. 5, Fig. 5 is a section on line 5, 5, Fig. 4, Fig. 6 is a transverse section through another form of the device in which a plurality of cutters arranged around the cane is used, said device being shown as operating on a cane rod, and Fig. 7 is a section through the cane rod showing the same immediately after the stripping operation.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to Fig. 1, the cane rod R is split longitudinally by means of a cutter M in such a manner that a weaving strip F is formed. The cutter is driven along the path or main split H. It will be seen that there are formed in addition to the main split a series of subsidiary splits or cracks N and these remain in the portion of the core attached to the strip after the cutter has been driven through its path H. If the strip thus formed is bent these subsidiary cracks Will become visible by the core part being raised away therefrom at such parts, as shown in Fig. 2.

In Fig. 3 is illustrated the hereinbefore mentioned method by which the cracking of the strip is usually avoided. In the first instance the required number of strips F is slit by means of a star-shaped cutter M When the weaving strips are split off a cylindrical rod P, formed by the core, remains. The weaving strips are then. planed and freed from the adhering parts of the core.

The apparatus embodying this invention is constructed as follows: In a fixed part B of the apparatus is formed a rectangular opening A in which is situated the block D for the stripping knife IV, the block being movable in the opening in a direction radial to the axis of the cane rod. At d the said block is formed into a pressing foot which bears with a slightly concave surface upon the cane rod It so as to press the same against the support U, this being formed in one with a fixed part C of the apparatus and having its surface formed concave corresponding to the curvature of the cane rod. The block D is formed narrower at m for filling the space between the two side portions E, E of the knife, which are fixed thereto by means of screws G. On the top of the block D is a stem I which can move u and down through a hole in a guideplate K and upon which is mounted a strong spring L that bears with pressure against the block D and the guide-plate K, such pressure being regulated by means of screw-nuts Q which are screwed upon threaded pins 0 passing through holes in the plate K, so that by screwing the nuts downwards the pressure of the spring L and consequently the pressure of the block D upon the cane R is increased. Between the two side cheeks of the knife is provided a guide-surface m which is so formed that the weaving strip F, which is bent upwards by the knife, bears against the said surface and is thereby bent sharply downwards again immediately after leaving the knife.

The action of the apparatus is as follows: The cane rod R is introduced between the presser-foot d and the support U and the nuts Q are screwed down to the required extent for firmly compressing the cane between the presser-foot and the support. The cane is then drawn in the known manner through the apparatus, the pressure of the nuts Q and the spring L being such that a premature separation of the weaving strip and consequently a cracking thereof or of the remaining core is rendered impossible. By means of the guide-surfaces m the separated and upwardly bent weaving strips F are bent downwards again so that they are prevented from curling up.

In the form of the device shown in Fig. 6 a plurality of cutters is used, the fixed support U being dispensed with as the cutters act as supports for each other. Said cutters are disposed radially about the cane, as shown, and mounted in substantially the same manner described in connection with Figs. 4 and 5. It will be seen that when the cane is fed rectilinearly through the device weaving strips will be cut off from the cane at points throughout its entire circumference. When this has been effected the core is left in the condition shown in Fig. 7. It will be understood, however, that the core produced by the described process is not cylindrical as that produced by the known methods, but retains the natural taper. Besides narrow strips or ribs p are left standing between the neighboring cutters. By applying a ringknife in the usual known manner the usual cylindrical core is obtained and the parts thus shaved off form a residue that can be used for the manufacture of brushes and similar articles. It is found that the value of the waste material thus obtained is consider.- ably greater than that of the waste material obtained by the ordinary planing process.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters- Patent:-

1. The method of simultaneously stripping off weaving strips ready for use from the periphery of a ratan cane, consisting in passing the cane rectilinearly through a set of stripping knives disposed radially round its circumference, and at the same time compressing the cane just beyond the cutting edge of the knife, the strips which are bent by the cutting action being bent in the opposite direction immediately behind the cutting edge.

2. In apparatus for stripping off weaving strips from ratan canes, the combination of a fixed support having a concave surface, a fixed part opposing said support and having an opening, a spring-pressed block guided in said opening and urged toward said support, said block being provided near one end with a presser-foot and cut away near the other end and opposite said support to form a guide surface for the weaving strip, and a stripping knife extending over said guide-surface and having cheeks or sides applied to op osite sides of the block.

n testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HEINRICH WILHELM TEMPS.

Witnesses:

EMIL DREYER, OTTO W. HELLMRIOH. 

